Why some Mount Sinai doctors do not have a star rating.

The provider has not yet received the minimum number of patient satisfaction surveys to be eligible for display. At Mount Sinai, and consistent with industry standards, we require a minimum of 30 surveys before we post results to ensure that the rating is statistically reliable and a true reflection of patient experience.

He or she may be a researcher or other type of provider that does not see patients.

The provider practices in a specialty or office that does not use the specified surveys currently used for these ratings.

Patient Experience Star Ratings

At Mount Sinai, our mission is to provide exceptional patient care. To help patients feel more confident about their choice of doctors, we provide patient experience star ratings based on information collected by an independent organization, Press Ganey, which surveys hundreds of thousands of our patients every year. We hope this information will help you choose the doctor that is right for you.

What is the “Patient Experience Star Rating?”The Patient Experience Star Rating reflects our patients’ perception of how well their Mount Sinai physician communicated with them during an office visit. The Star Rating is based on patient responses to three questions on the Clinician & Group CAHPS (CG-CAHPS) Survey, a standardized questionnaire developed for use by Medicare:

During this visit, did this provider explain things in a way that was easy to understand?

During this visit, did this provider listen carefully to you?

Would you recommend this provider’s office to your family and friends?

Who receives a CG-CAHPS patient survey?Patients are randomly selected to receive a survey, either via mail or email, in which they are asked to provide feedback about their experience. That feedback is shared with physicians and medical practice leaders to help us improve and to recognize exceptional physicians.

What is a Mount Sinai Doctors Faculty Practice Physician?

Mount Sinai Doctors Faculty Practice Physicians are full-time faculty members of the Icahn School of Medicine. These doctors are a central component of the Mount Sinai Health System's patient-centered mission, across all aspects of patient care, research, and medical education.

Pharmacogenetics / PharmacogenomicsThese studies involve the identification of variations in human genes responsible for the metabolism of drugs. These variations cause the adverse drug responses that are common and often life-threatening. Examples of the known genes with varying pharmacogenetic responses are the P450 genes. By identifying the key genetic variations in an individual's genome that alter the activation, metabolism, transport, distribution and clearance of a given drug, a person's pharmacogenetic profile can be determined, permitting personalized drug selection and dosage. Currently, we are a site for the NIH-sponsored clinical trial of genome-guided dosing for warfarin. Using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), candidate genes for a given drug are interrogated for informative haplotypes which are then tested in a given population of individuals experiencing adverse affects of the drug. In addition, variations that alter drug metabolism can be tested in individuals taking the drug.

Molecular Genetics and Treatment of Lysosomal Storage Diseases & Inhertited PorphyriasFor the past two decades, studies of the lysosome and the pathogenesis and treatment of lysosomal storage diseases have been a major research theme of this laboratory. For example, in Fabry disease (galactosidase-Gal A] deficiency), our group isolated the human-Gal A gene, developed novel overexpression methods, and made knock-out mice with Fabry disease for preclinical studies of enzyme and gene therapy. These basic science studies provided the rationale for the clinical trials of enzyme therapy that proved effective in this disease. These studied culminated in approval of enzyme replacement for Fabry disease by the FDA in April 2003. Current studies are directed to: 1) identify and characterize the structure/function relationships of mutations in the Gal A gene which cause Fabry disease, 2) develop novel therapeutic strategies to treat Fabry disease and other disorders due to protein misfolding by rescuing/stabilizing the misfolded protein with small molecule pharmacologic chaperones, and 3) develop stem cell and gene replacement strategies for these diseases.

Heme biosynthesis requires eight enzymatic steps to convert succinyl-CoA and glycine to the final product, heme. All eight enzymes are encoded by nuclear genes, with the first and last three enzymes being located in the mitochondria while the second through fifth enzymes are in the cytosol. The inherited porphyrias are inborn errors of heme biosynthesis, each resulting from the deficient activity of a particular enzyme. Previously, our laboratory: 1) developed assays, 2) purified these enzymes, 3) isolated and characterized the cDNAs and genomic sequences encoding several enzymes, and 4) identified molecular lesions causing the different porphyrias. Recently, we developed knock-in mouse models for an erythropoietic porphyria, congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP), and are currently developing knock-in mice to generate an improved mouse model for a hepatic porphyria, acute intermittent porphyria (AIP). These models will permit studies of the cutaneous and acute neurologic pathophysiologies of these porphyrias, and facilitate the development of novel therapies. Current therapeutic efforts in these models include hematopoietic stem cell therapy for CEP and AAV-8 mediated hepatic-targeted gene therapy for AIP.

Gene Discovery for Rare & Common DiseasesUsing positional cloning and linkage analysis strategies, our previous efforts have resulted in the identification of several genes causing Mendelian disorders. Current research is focused on several Mendelian disorders and complex traits including Crohn’s disease, a common inflammatory bowel disease. To identify the predisposing/susceptibility genes for complex traits, genome-wide association studies using 1 million SNP-DNA arrays, candidate gene approaches, and sequencing for rare variants are being used. Studies of common complex traits will guide future predictive and preventive genetic strategies for improved, personalized health

Clinical Trials

Clarification of Optimal Anticoagulation through Genetics (COAG)
The purpose of this study is to find out the best way to start warfarin treatment. This study will test whether doctors can improve the control of blood thinning by using genetic information. This information is thought to improve the safe use of warfarin since choosing the corre...

Porphyria Rare Disease Clinical Research Consortium (RDCRC)
We propose to establish a Rare Diseases Clinical Research Consortium (RDCRC) as a part of the Rare Disease Clinical Research Network (RDCRN) that will focus on the inborn errors of heme biosynthesis, the porphyrias. The RDCRC will initially bring together the complementary streng...

Physicians and scientists on the faculty of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai often interact with pharmaceutical, device and biotechnology companies to improve patient care, develop new therapies and achieve scientific breakthroughs. In order to promote an ethical and transparent environment for conducting research, providing clinical care and teaching, Mount Sinai requires that salaried faculty inform the School of their relationships with such companies.

Below are financial relationships with industry reported by Dr. Desnick during 2017 and/or 2018. Please note that this information may differ from information posted on corporate sites due to timing or classification differences.

Physicians who provide services at hospitals and facilities in the Mount Sinai Health System might not participate in the same health plans as those Mount Sinai hospitals and facilities (even if the physicians are employed or contracted by those hospitals or facilities).

Information regarding insurance participation and billing by this physician may be found on this page, and can also be obtained by contacting this provider directly. Because physicians insurance participation can change, the insurance information on this page may not always be up-to-date. Please contact this physician directly to obtain the most up-to-date insurance information.

Insurance and health plan networks that the various Mount Sinai Health System hospitals and facilities participate in can be found on the Mount Sinai Health System website.